David & Athena Schofield

The Venue

Q:  How did you choose your venue?
A:  We found it on hitched!

Q:  Did you see many venues before deciding?
A:  It was the first and only one we saw, we completely fell in love with the uniqueness of the venue and what they had on offer.

Q:  Why was it the perfect venue for your Kentish ceremony?
A:  The safari is so unique and different for our guests, the staff were excellent on the day and the surroundings made it even more special. The mansion house at port lympne is so stunning and this was really reflected in our pictures from the day.

The Outfits

Q:  Tell us about your wedding dress/outfit - where did you buy it, and how did you know it was ‘the one’?
A:  I got mine from Pronovias! It was the perfect dress for me, you know when you know as they say!

Q:  Did you have any special accessories or shoes to complete your look?
A:  My husband got me a gorgeous pair of vintage Chanel earrings to match my outfit, they are so special to me and remind me of the best day of our life.

Q:  How did you choose the suits?
A:  The suits were chosen from a tailor in Sloane Square, it was very traditional

Q:  Tell us about your bridesmaid and groomsmen outfits.
A:  Groomsmen were all fitted at Buckleigh of London like my husband, so they all went together for each fitting which was a fun experience.

Hair & Makeup

Q:  Who did you use for your hair and/or makeup for your wedding?
A:  I chose Olivia Ferrer for my hair and makeup! She was brilliant, so attentive and her team were fantastic on the day.

Q:  How did you decide on the style and look you wanted for the big day?
A:  I didn’t always know what I wanted, so I asked Olivia's opinion and she was excellent at showing me different options that she thought would work for me.

The Ceremony

Q:  What was your favourite moment of the ceremony?
A:  It was torrential rain the second I stepped into my dress and before I was to walk down the aisle to the pergola where everyone was waiting. There was a small break in the cloud and I walked down with my brother, the second I stepped into the pergola the sun came out and it really felt like my dad (who passed away during covid) was walking me in spirit to David, it felt like he was really with me in that moment.

Q:  Did you pick any special music to walk down the aisle to, or have any readings?
A:  We had some traditional greek Cypriot music played on the harp by Glenda Gallaway who was also absolutely fabulous.

The Reception

Q:  What food did you have, and how was it?
A:  We had food from Port Lympne, it was absolutely fantastic and everyone was so complimentary about the food.

Q:  Tell us about your wedding cake. Who made and designed it for you?
A:  Claire de lune did our wedding cake! It was four tiered with different flavours on each - we had greek olive like leaves surrounding the cake.

Q:  What were your speeches like? Any standout moments?
A:  The speeches were incredible, my brother spoke on my mum's behalf and said “marriage is a meeting of two hearts and two minds. Love does not mean you will always agree or see eye to eye, it means despite the bad days you still can’t see yourself without that person.”

The decor

Q:  What was your decor/colour scheme, and how did you decide on it?
A:  We had an olive green colour in memory of my dad, who loved his olive trees in Cyprus.

Q:  Who did your wedding flowers?
A:  Samantha Reynolds, Emily and me.

Q:  What did you have in your flower arrangements/bouquets?
A:  We had white roses, gypsophila and eucalyptus.

Q:  How did you add personal touches to the look and feel of your day?
A:  My dad who passed away during covid loved his olive trees in Cyprus, we dried and crushed these olive leaves and made them into wedding favours for all our guests.

Q:  Did you use any local suppliers for things like lighting, accessories and props?
A:  We didn’t need to as the venue was so beautiful.

The Entertainment

 Q:  Did you have a DJ or a band? How did you choose them?
A:  Daniel Schemer, cannot recommend him enough! He was the best DJ ever and even let me (the bride) get behind the DJ decks.

Q:  What was your first dance, and why was it special to you?
A:  We danced to Elvis can’t help but falling in love, my family and gran loved Elvis and we felt the words captured our story and love for each other.

The photography

Q:  Who was your wedding photographer, and how did you choose them?
A:  Emma Hill!!!! She was the best photographer I have ever come across, she captured all the special moments.

Q:  What style/look did you want for your photos?
A:  I wanted a natural style, Emma captured the day entirely and none of the photos felt staged.

Q:  Do you have a favourite photo from the day?
A:  I do! I am peering behind David with my flowers and a champagne bottle, I always tend to sneak up behind him, it always makes him laugh.

Q:  Did you have a videographer?
A:  Emma Hill also did our video!

And finally...

Q:  What was your absolute highlight of the day?
A:  My highlight was when the rain subsided as soon as I stepped into the pergola and saw David. My dad was sadly not there to walk me down the aisle but in that moment when the sun shined after a period of torrential rain, I felt him with me and in my heart knew he was looking down and smiling.

Q:  Do you have any tips or advice for other couples having a Kentish Ceremony?
A:  Be totally at ease! Everyone around you has all the important things covered, just enjoy your day, it goes too quick!

Ready to start planning your big day?

Our dedicated wedding coordination team would be happy to help you with any questions you may have about our wedding venues and packages at Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve.  Simply fill out our enquiry form and someone will be in touch shortly.

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